Like every year, this year’s iPhone launch is expected to be the biggest ever for the Cupertino, California firm. Unlike past years, however, 2013 is the first time Apple gets to release two new iPhones simultaneously, one a so-called S-upgrade to the existing iPhone 5 and the other essentially an iPhone 5 with a less-pricey polycarbonate plastic case.

This change in tactics and the resulting flurry of media coverage appears to have renewed interest in the Apple smartphone. And while we’re certainly not expecting lines to stretch around whole blocks like in 2007, campers are already lining up outside Apple’s flagship glass cube store on Manhattan’s Fifth Avenue…

MacRumors passes along an image snapped up by Jon Murphy of Cincinnati-based SellYourMac who along with a colleague arrived on the scene today to set up for a two-week campout, only to find other folks already set up camps outside the iconic glass cube store.

“Two other campers claimed their spots at the front of the line last night, settling in for the long wait,” author Eric Slivka writes.

Another image.

Of course, these guys are in the business of reusing, repurposing and recycling used Apple products so this is a rather nice PR stunt to raise awareness about their company.

On a related note, early line sitters are often being paid to stand in the line. It’s one of the dirty little tricks brands like Apple, Sony and others resort to in order to create a sense of a massive product launch .

That being said – as MacRumors notes – the bar appears to be continually being raised, “with campers now arriving even before Apple has announced anything”.

Apple has scheduled a media event for next Tuesday, September 10. A separate press conference is due on September 11, in Beijing, where pundits expect the formal unveiling of a landmark iPhone distribution agreement with China Mobile, the world’s top telco.

If you’re a reviewer or work for a blog chances are you’d have to stand in line or pay someone else to do it for you in order to ensure that you can get the device as quickly as possible to review it…

https://twitter.com/MrElectrifyer MrElectrifyer

So, why not just order online? These big companies do free shipping and it usually takes no longer than 3 business days to get to your door…

Prasoon Singh

Too early. These people don’t have a life. lol

RarestName

What is this I don’t even

Chris Holden

that is just ridiculous

Stefano ‘Graziani’ Polo

I don’t understand. Sept 10th is when they announce new products, not when they release them. They always announce them a month before release date. These people are going to camp out for nearly 5 weeks???

ULTIMATEXFIGHTER

i know right? thats crazy! i always pre-order my new iphone either thru the apple website or thru my carrier. last year when the iphone 5 came out, i went to my verizen store a week before the pre-orders and asked them if they could hold 2 iphones for me for when they came out and the guy said “yeah” and all i had to do was give him my credit card info so he could charge it when they were gonna get them in the store to start selling them. i never had to wait in line like those crazy people do and i never will wait in line. i guess people like to wait in line to get one when you can easily pre-order them and save all that time wasted.LOL!!

Mario Britten

No. It will come out Sept 20th

Jimothy

The date isn’t necessarily gonna be the 20th. We won’t know until the announce it.

Mario Britten

Of course but with all these rumors I’m pretty sure that it will be at least AROUND Sept 20th. Think of me after the keynote

At

Apple usually launches the new version of IOS right after the keynote and launch the new model 1 week after. So they will be in line for 12 days, still way too long. Even if I can’t get mine on launch day, I can wait the extra few weeks or so. I imagine Apple will have more than they usually have for launch day as they are expected to sell 13 million iPhones in the first 10 days.

FOFF

longest i ever camped was 15 hours for PS2

Dan

This is ridiculous. People who do this must not have jobs, and even then…

Diego Gastón Milano

Maybe they took time off, HA, imagine that- taking 2-3 weeks off just to get a new device… and I think I had issues myself.

Smfh

Lol. Damn. What a bunch of sad losers. You must be real pathetic to camp outside a shop to buy something. Unless it’s for chairty or you’re being paid.

FOFF

i camped for the PS2 its was fun… then i camped 3 times for very limited jordans … lol its fun

felixtaf

These people are putting on a show…. They know that they will be covered in news articles… A sad and stupid way of publicity…

If they are waiting genuinely for the new device, they are simply stupid!!! Fanboyism is tolerable, not idiocy….

At

It’s actually brilliant way to get publicity. Imagine how many people go by their stores and see the line. Then they think why oh why, go home and look it up online to see what the fuss is about and find out there is a new product coming out.

felixtaf

Agree…

Matt Taylor

In other words they are undercover Apple employees… Lol.

FOFF

but it works sooooooo

Ted Forbes

Yep!!!!

Yujin

Do I see the Woz waiting on his Segway too?

gwcheney

No thank you…. I will stay up late and pre order through the apple store app like every year and still get my new 5s the same day as these “die hard” apple fans

Ted Forbes

Yep and that works too!!!!!!!!

William Melendez

Many of these people are PAID to wait in line, either by someone extremely wealthy who wants to be FIRST, or by companies to promote different products and such….

I’d guarantee, a majority of people currently in line are NOT there to buy themselves an iPhone…..

And even if they were, who gives a damn? Good for them if they want to sit in line for 3 weeks and have the resources to do so I don’t see why people are getting mad lol

Diego Gastón Milano

One thing is for sure, this type of social phenomena is new to the human kind never seen in past times (I mean decades/centuries); sociologically speaking, it’s interesting to see what people are capable of doing just for technology fanaticism, or purely for getting paid.
I wonder where they do their ‘stuff’, if you know what I mean…

Rowan09

Even though I want the new iPhone I would not wait a couple days. I waited in line for a union job 3 days which I was recently selected for, but never for a product unless it will get me a million.

Matt

Wait, whaaaaa it’s 4 more days though… Their seriously are gonna camp there for 4 days 0.0

Jimothy

Why do this when I can preorder it online?

Rowan09

They are promoting their business or getting paid. Last year gazelle gave some of the people at the front free iPhones. This is crazy though because they don’t even know when the phone is coming out and usually these stores allow people to line up a certain time.

Jimothy

Getting paid? Make it happen, Cappin!

https://twitter.com/MrElectrifyer MrElectrifyer

Only a typical iSheep wouldn’t be getting paid to do this…so ignoramus that they’ve never heard of online shopping *DoubleFacePalm*

Jarryd Richards

What worries me is that some people actually spend thousands of dollars on flights and hotels to come here to Australia just so they can get the new iPhone 12 hours before the US.

https://twitter.com/MrElectrifyer MrElectrifyer

Seriously?…

Jarryd Richards

Yeah, I wish I was lying but some people really are that stupid.

felixtaf

Insanity at its best… I heard a Chinese guy sold one of his kidneys for an iDevice… Dono when all these devices become that much valuable. I can only laugh at these campers, ridiculous travelers and organ sellers!!!!

iceman600

what sneakers is that dude wearing… its like a back to the future sneakers. =) likey likey. where can i get?

Luca Brasi.

they are adidas

iceman600

what kind? i really want those…

seyss

one word: fail

Jerwyn Feria

off subject but is that philip wang from wongfu productions in the picture.